UCLan students fly to LA to shoot film

Students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are jetting off to Los Angeles to shoot five short films and meet with industry professionals.

Nine media production students will swap Fulwood for Hollywood to shoot scenes for films set in both Preston and LA. The venture is part of the Five Thousand Miles project organised by UCLan Screenwriting lecturers Bill McCoid and Sarah Evans to take the budding screenwriters and producers to the heart of the film industry.

“Los Angeles is the capital of the screenwriting world and so it is right we should take our students there. People will be able to follow the entire trip by going to the team’s Facebook page and website as well as on Twitter."

During the visit they will also meet producers, writers and other media professionals in the city.

Bill McCoid, UCLan Screenwriting course leader, said: “Los Angeles is the capital of the screenwriting world and so it is right we should take our students there. People will be able to follow the entire trip by going to the team’s Facebook page and website as well as on Twitter. The students will post news reports to share their experiences on the other side of the world.”

The party will also attend the Los Angeles film festival.

“It is a phenomenal opportunity. Not just to film in Los Angeles, but to meet people from the industry, attend a film festival and experience the whole atmosphere.”

MA Screenwriting student Greg Saxton commented: “It is a phenomenal opportunity. Not just to film in Los Angeles, but to meet people from the industry, attend a film festival and experience the whole atmosphere.”

The team is made up of students studying screenwriting, film production, television, web design and journalism.

The Los Angles films will premiere at a special screening at UCLan in the autumn.